Make Me Strong Again
by apracot
Summary: A sequel to "Be There For Me", you may need to read that story to understand this one. Hotch helps Emily re-build her life as their relationship slowly moves from friendship to something more.
1. Chapter 1

So this is chapter one of "Make Me Strong Again" and this is about Hotch helping Emily re build her life, and their relationship changing.  
_

Emily woke slowly from her deep sleep, feeling rested for the first time in a very long time, and she opened her eyes slowly, letting them adjust to the light that was streaming through the curtains in Hotch's room.

"Morning." Hotch's calming and soothing voice whispered happily, causing Emily to jump slightly, before she turned and found him propped up on his elbow, staring down at her lovingly. "Sorry, I didn't mean to scare you." He added, when he noticed the momentary flash of fear in Emily's eyes, before she to smiled.

"Oh no it's ok... I'm just not used to... well, having someone greet me cheerily in the morning." She informed Hotch, feeling slight embarrassment at her admittance.

"Well then I promise from now on, I'll make sure you wake up with a happy greeting every morning." Hotch swore, holding his hand on his chest seriously and causing Emily to giggle.

"You know you can't be here every morning." Emily informed him, still smiling at the gesture.

"I want to be." Hotch replied, the serious tone of his voice now causing the smile on Emily's face to falter slightly.

"I don't... I mean I do... I'm not ready for another relationship." Emily whispered, almost fearfully, moving away from Hotch subconsciously, her mind automatically fearing the worst.

"Hey, don't worry." Hotch soothed her quickly, holding out a hand that Emily could take if she wanted to. "I know you're not ready, and I'm not going to push you... I'm your friend Emily; I'm here for you as a friend." He informed her with a gentle smile.

"Oh... I'm sorry." Emily whispered, as she took Hotch's hand and let him pull her close to his side, and wrap both his arms around her waist.

"What have I told you about saying sorry?" Hotch warned softly, before placing a soft kiss on her hairline.

~.~.~.~.~.~.~

"So..." Hotch started casually, as he poured pancake mix into a pan for breakfast. "What are you going to tell the team?" He questioned.

"Oh crap." Emily thought out loud, looking up at Hotch from where she stood, setting the breakfast table. "I hadn't really thought that far ahead yet." She informed him, as she bit the corner of her lip.

"Well you can't lie." Hotch immediately told her. "I mean you don't have to go into detail... but they're family, you can't keep this from them... even if you wanted to." He added, when he looked up and noticed the fear in Emily's eyes.

"You're right... I have to tell them... It's just daunting I guess... what if they judge me?" She asked fearfully, now looking down at her nails, and beginning to pick at them.

"They won't." Hotch reassured her quickly. "Em, one of Garcia's ex's shot her after a date, Reid's never had a real girlfriend as far as anyone knows, and two, if not all three, of Rossi's ex wives were crazy... believe me when I say the team aren't qualified to judge relationships." He laughed.

"I guess you're right... none of us have the best track record." She sighed with a faint smile.

"I know I'm right... besides, they'll be too busy holding Allen down so Morgan can rip his face off to judge you." Hotch added with a smirk, as he wiped his hands on a tea towel that was lying on the counter.

"Now that you're most definitely right on." Emily agreed, her smile becoming wider.

"So today..." Hotch prompted, looking over at Emily.

"Today." Emily nodded. "I'll tell them today." She repeated, more to herself than Hotch, as if she was trying to psych herself up.

"I'll call a meeting in the conference room at ten then." Hotch informed her, giving a reassuring smile.

Just as Emily was about to respond a pair of feet could be heard coming down the hall, and seconds later Jack Hotchner appeared in the kitchen, still wearing his batman pyjamas, the sleepy look immediately vacating his face when he spotted Emily, who was just after sitting down at the table.

"Emmy!" The young boy called rushing to her side. "Is you hurted again?" He asked sadly.

"It's 'are you hurt' Jack." Hotch corrected his son, when he looked over and saw fresh tears in Emily's eyes.

"No daddy, I'm fine, but Emmy's not." Jack told his father, pointing out the tears in Emily's eyes.

"No buddy I'm not hurt." Emily informed Jack with a watery smile. "These are happy tears." She added, wiping them away quickly and pulling Jack into her lap for a hug.

"Then why you here?" Jack questioned, as he wrapped his small arms around Emily's neck.

""Because your daddy promised me that I'd never get hurt again." Emily whispered, kissing Jack on the fore head and smiling up at Hotch, who was taking the plates of pancakes over to the table and watching the two.

"Well that's good." Jack replied enthusiastically after a moment. "Because my daddy never breaks a promise, and I don't like it when you get hurt."

Then I promise that Emmy will never get hurt again." Hotch reassured Jack, ruffling his sons hair. "Now go wash your hands before breakfast, because you need to get ready for school soon." He added, watching as the young boy jumped off Emily's lap and ran to the bathroom.

"I know you're probably going out give out me for saying this... but I'm sorry that Jack had to witness me turning up here all the time, covered in cuts and bruises... no four year old should have to see that all the time." Emily sighed, fresh tears in her eyes.

"It's not your fault... Allen is the only person in the wrong here Emily... remember that, always." Hotch responded, placing Emily's pancakes in front of her and squeezing her arm lightly.

~.~.~.~.~.~.~

"Everyone, meeting in the conference room in five minutes." Hotch called from the catwalk above the bullpen at five to ten the same morning.

"What's this about?" Morgan whispered to Reid, JJ, Garcia and Rossi, who were all standing around his desk, having nothing better to do due to the lack of serial killers at the moment, not that any of them were complaining.

"My money is on it having something to do with the fact that Emily's not left his office all morning." Rossi mused, staring up at the closed blinds that blocked the interior of Hotch's office from view.

"Wow, you can really tell you're profiling skills are up to scratch." JJ replied sarcastically, having guessed that at about five past nine.

"Yea the question is... what's up with Hotch and Emily?" Reid thought out loud, also looking up at Hotch's office window.

"Maybe they've been getting it on behind our backs." Garcia giggled.

"That's not likely... Emily's going out with Allen." Reid reminded Garcia with a frown.

"Yes genius boy... but in the fantasy land of my head she never even met Allen at that political dinner, and her and Hotch are married with twins at this stage." Garcia replied happily.

"I somehow doubt your fantasy is going to come through... unfortunately." Morgan responded, sighing out the last word and earning nods of agreement from the team, each of them having disliked Allen from the first time they were introduced.

"Well I guess we'll find out what's going on now." JJ spoke up after a moment, seeing Emily and Hotch both emerge from the office and walk to the conference room quickly, not looking down at the team.

"Let's go then." Morgan commanded the team, each of them standing and following Hotch and Emily into the conference room quickly, each taking their usual seats around the table, leaving Emily and Hotch standing up at the front of the room, looking at each of them.

"Do we have a case?" Rossi asked once silence fell on the room, even though he knew the answer to this would be no.

"Um, no... We don't." Hotch replied awkwardly, looking at Emily to speak.

"There's something I need to tell you all..." Emily spoke up, her voice shaky and unconfident, something no one on the team were used to hearing.

"We're all listening sweat pea." Garcia prompted, once Emily stopped talking.

"Uh... I split up with Allen." Emily told them, not missing the happy looks that passed over each of their faces once the news broke.

"He was never any good for you anyway Em." JJ spoke up quickly, meaning every word she said, and not just because that's what you were supposed to say when your friend split up with someone.

"I agree with JJ." Reid added. "Though why couldn't you tell us this in the bullpen?" He asked after a brief pause, finding the fact that they were called to the conference room to hear this news rather odd.

"Well I... uh... there's more." Emily answered, her voice quivering slightly, as she looked at Hotch, biting her lip in fear.

"Whatever it is you can tell us honey... we're all here for you." Garcia promised, the rest of the team nodding in agreement.

Once Garcia spoke Emily completely broke down... not in a dramatic way, her body just simply gave up, and she slumped into a seat as silent tears rolled down her cheeks thick and fast, Hotch immediately kneeling down beside her as the rest of the team watched in horror, as one of their family crumbled.

"He hurt you didn't he." Morgan whispered suddenly, the words coming out as a low growl.

Emily sighed, and looked up at her friends, her family, and nodded her head silently, before she slowly rolled up the sleeves of her jumper, revealing several bruises along her arms, each at various stages of heeling with the odd cut or scratch, and even a faded bit mark below her left elbow.

"I'll kill him... I'm going to rip his sorry little fucking head off." Morgan hissed, kicking his chair back as he stood up quickly.

"Oh my god sweety, are you ok?" Garcia gushed sadly, as she too jumped up and rushed to Emily's side, closely followed by and equally worried looking JJ.

"I'm fine... I'm just so sorry I didn't tell you sooner." Emily cried softly.

"What have I told you about apologising?" Hotch berated, as he stroked her hair to sooth her.

"Hotch is right... the only person that should be sorry is Allen." Reid spoke up, a look of rage in the geniuses eyes that no one on the team had ever seen before.

"Oh believe me, he will be once I get my hand on him." Morgan growled, his fists clenched, ready to attack.

"Just let me get my coat, I'll hold him down for you." Rossi added, finally tearing his eyes away from Emily's wounds, and looking up at Morgan, a burning rage also evident in his eye.

With that Morgan and Rossi left, closely followed by Reid who took one last look at Emily's wounds before following the two, as Emily just watched her friends leave, knowing there was no point in stopping them, even if she wanted to.

"Allen's a lawyer right?" Garcia asked after a moment.

"Uh huh." Emily whispered, still holding on to Hotch.

"And his public image would be important to him?" She asked again.

"Yea, he needs it to keep the clients he has, and to get new ones... no one wants a lawyer with a dodgy past." Emily replied, nodding her head slowly, not understanding where this was going.

"Well in that case I have to go and photo shop a few pictures... send them to a few people on Allen's client list." Garcia replied with a smirk. "I may not have the brawn, but I've got the brain." She added with a wicked smile.

"Yea... I must go too... a few phone calls I have to make." JJ added happily.

"Oh?" Emily questioned with a raised eyebrow, not being able to help the smile that was spreading on her face.

"Yup, Garcia has the power to lose Allen all his clients at his current firm... and I have the power to make sure he can't get hired anywhere else." JJ responded wickedly, standing with Garcia, both women hugging Emily once more before they left.

"I told you they wouldn't take this lying down." Hotch laughed once they were alone in the room.

"I'm so glad I have them... and you." Emily sighed contently against Hotch's shoulder.

"We're lucky we have you as well." He whispered in response, meaning every word.  
_

Ok so there we go chapter one is done! Allen is taken care off (Mwahahaha) and Emily is on the road to recovery. Tell me that you thought, and thanks for reading.


	2. Chapter 2

Ok so, on the excellent request of criminalmindsaddict chapter two is based on what the team does to Allen. Do enjoy... because I know I will.  
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"Joe... gimme a refill." Allen called to the worn out looking barman as he sat at the bar, his three previous pints lined up in front of him, and a goal of tripling this amount before the night was out in his mind.

"I think you've had enough Allen... it's only half ten." Joe reminded him, his patience wearing thin even at this early hour, normally having all day to build himself up to deal with an angry and drunk Allen... but not today.

"Excuse me sir, but is that man causing you bother?" Rossi asked the barman politely, as he came to stand at the top of the bar, just out of Allen's eye line.

"No more than usual." Joe sighed. "I'm just not used to having to deal with him this early."

"Well sir, we're federal agents, and if you want we can take him off your hands." Reid told Joe casually, pulling his badge out of his pocket as form of identification.

"Oh no, he's really not that much trouble..." Joe replied hesitantly.

"Believe me when I say we want to take him off your hands... we'd like to talk to him." Morgan spoke up then, having to use all his restraint not to just start a bar fight.

"Can I ask why you want to talk to him?" Joe asked then, noticing the angry glint in each of the agent's eyes and becoming curious.

"He hurt a friend of ours... and we thought we'd teach him the, an eye for an eye lesson." Rossi answered calmly.

"Your friend wouldn't be... uh... Emily? Emily Prentiss I think her name is?" Joe asked after some thought.

"Yes that's her... why?" Morgan asked quickly, now giving his full attention to Joe rather than trying to get a glimpse of Allen, who was just around the corner and still muttering something about wanting a drink.

"Well I've heard him boasting a few times about the... the way he show's he's the boss in the relationship... and let's just say that if half the thinks he says he does are true, then not only can you take him off my hands, but I don't think I'll remember seeing you here either." Joe replied evenly, a sympathetic look for what Emily had been through even though he'd never met her.

"Much appreciated." Morgan replied with a tight smile, before pushing away from the bar and taking the lead over to Allen, closely followed by Rossi and Reid.

"Did he just say he was going to lie to the cops for us?" Reid asked Rossi quietly, as they made their way closer to Allen.

"No... He said he'd forget to mention us... there's a difference between lying and forgetting kid." Rossi replied, not wanting to think of how many laws they were breaking, being more focused on hurting the man that made his friend, and the person he saw as a sister, suffer so much.

"Hey Allen." Morgan greeted with a fake enthusiasm. "How's your day going?" He asked coming to stand behind the Allen, who was getting served by a female bar tender.

"A lot better before I saw you three." He sneered in response, looking at them briefly before returning to his drink.

"Now, now, that's no was to greet friends." Rossi scolded, standing on the other side of Allen, effectively blocking his escape paths.

"Since when are you three my friends? Allen laughed bitterly.

"Good question." Reid replied, standing next to Morgan.

"Yea, why don't we go outside and answer that." Morgan added, grabbing Allen roughly by the collar, and pulling him a few inches out of his seat.

"Excuse me sir, you can't do that." The female bar tender gasped, when she saw Allen getting effortlessly lifted out of his chair, his feet dangling an inch or so off the ground.

"We're federal agents... talk to the owner... Joe, if you have any questions." Rossi told the woman smoothly, flashing his badge at her quickly and giving her a small smile.

With that the four men, Allen still being half carried by Morgan, made their way out of the bar, and rounded the corner to where Morgan's car was parked, Reid getting into the driver's seat, and Rossi getting into the back along with Morgan and a scared looking Allen.

"So Allen... we heard you haven't been behaving very nicely to our friend." Rossi started casually, once Reid started the ignition and pulled out onto the road.

"She had it coming to her." Allen sneered.

"Wrong answer." Morgan growled, his fist connecting sharply with the side of Allen's face, leaving a red mark over his eye and cheek, which was quickly turning black and blue, already forming a bruise due to the force of impact.

"What the hell?" Allen shouted, causing Reid to swerve slightly on the road at the sudden sound.

"What the hell? That was me teaching you not to talk about my friend like that." Morgan hissed, raising his fist again.

"Now, now Derek, I'm sure we can sort this out another way." Rossi stated calmly, knowing only too well that Morgan was playing the bad cop, and it was up to him to play good. "Isn't that right Allen?" He added, raising an eyebrow at the man who was now sinking as low on the seat as he was able too.

"Yea, yea... that's... uh, that's right." Allen stuttered, still looking at Morgan in anticipation for another hit.

"Ok than... that's good." Rossi replied, still keeping his voice calm, knowing that the threat of Morgan's fist was enough. "So here's the deal Allen... I'm only going to say this once, so you need to listen up... ok?" he stated.

"Ok, ok!" Allen exclaimed, as Morgan enjoyed moving his fist ever so slightly and causing Allen to flinch.

"Right." Rossi said, clearing his throat before continuing, his voice now taking a more sinister edge. "If you ever come within a mile of Emily Prentiss, or anyone she knows again, the pain you will suffer will leave you eating through a tube for the rest of your living days." He hissed, in a low menacing voice. "Do you understand?"

"Yes." Allen responded quickly.

"Yes what?" Morgan hissed, pulling his fist right back, as if he was about to strike again.

"Yes, I understand and I'll never come near Emily again... I swear." He squeaked.

"We're here." Reid called then, just as Rossi was about to speak again.

"Where's here?" Allen questioned hesitantly, not sure he wanted to know the answer.

"You'll find out." Rossi replied simply, as Morgan picked Allen up by the collar again, and just as easily lifted him out of the car.

"This Allen is three miles outside DC." Morgan told him happily, once he threw Allen down. "No busses for three mile, no trains for three miles, and very few cars." He added happily.

"Bye." Rossi called from inside the car, waving sweetly at the man lying on the ground.

"Yea, bye." Morgan laughed. "Oh, and before I go... a parting gift." He added, just before he turned to leave, squaring up his foot and kicking Allen firmly on the rib cage, leaving him at the very least winded.

~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~

"Hey Jayje." Garcia called, motioning for JJ, who was standing in the corner of Garcia's office, to come and look at one of the screens. "Which looks better... a picture of Allen gambling his money away, or a picture of him spending it on some ladies of the night?" She questioned, not able to decide which to send out to his clients and boss.

"Ladies of the night... always a good choice." JJ replied with an agreeing nod. "Now work quietly, I need to call a friend of mine." She added with an evil smirk.

JJ then walked back to the corner of the room and punched in a few numbers before hitting call, leaving Garcia to edit the photo and send it out to Allen's client list.

"Hello." JJ greeting happily after a moment. "Yea Liam it's me, and I've got some gossip you might be interested in." She started happily, waiting briefly to listen to Liam before she continued. "You know Allen Finch... yea him. Well what could you say if I told you he was involved in a criminal investigation... one involving client's money and the illegal ways in which he spends it." She said, a small smile creeping across her face as she spoke. "No, you know I can't give out any more details, I'm just telling you what I can because you're a friends and I don't want you to make the mistake of hiring this guy." She told Liam innocently. "Ok, that's good, yea you too, right bye." She added on hastily at the end.

"Did your friend buy it?" Garcia asked, just as she hit send on the e-mail.

"Liam Abraham had bought everything I've said since we were in college... I'm persuasive like that." JJ told her friend with a wink, before walking out of the office, leaving Garcia laughing.

~.~.~.~.~.~

"Uh, Emily." Hotch called quietly, as he walked from his small office into the sitting room, where he found Emily lying on the couch half asleep as she lazily flicked through the channels on the television.

"Yea?" She replied, looking up at him, almost startled at his presence in the room.

"I just got a text from JJ... Morgan, Reid and Rossi have left him three miles outside DC with a black eye and according to Reid, probable bruised, if not fractured ribs, Garcia has sent pictures to his e-mail list and JJ herself has pulled a few strings of her own." He told her relaying the details of the text to her. "They're also coming over tomorrow." He added.

"Thank you." Emily whispered, a small smile creeping across her face, not lasting long, as after she thought Hotch had looked away it fell quickly.

"What's up." He asked, again startling Emily slightly.

"Nothing." She answered quickly, not taking her eyes off the screen.

"Emily don't shut me out." Hotch pleaded, not wanting to return to square one again.

"It's just... It doesn't make me feel any better, or any less stupid." She admitted with a sigh, looking up at him. "I thought knowing he was hurt would make me feel good... but I still feel the same."

"You know one little ting isn't going to fix this... today isn't going to fix this... it's going ot take a long time for you to feel good again Emily, but I swear I'm going to help you for as long as you need me to." Hotch told her soothingly, crouching down in front of her and looking into her deep eyes to get his words to sink in.

"Thank you Aaron... really, thank you." She whispered, smiling at him warmly.  
_

There, that's chapter two, the wonderful idea from criminalmindsaddict. Please do tell me what you thought, and thanks so much for reading.


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